Chapter 26: No Divorce

Xu An tightly held onto Zhou Yu as she opened the door. Her gaze instantly fell on the man facing the Zhou family, and her pupils constricted.

She gripped Zhou Yu’s hand even tighter, trembling slightly. In the next moment, the man seemed to sense her gaze. He turned his head toward her, his eyes locking on the way she held Zhou Yu’s hand, his expression darkening completely.

“Xu An.”

“Come here.”

The Zhou family also saw Xu An and Zhou Yu emerging, and when they heard the man call Xu An’s name so familiarly, Zhou Dandan scoffed and raised her voice.

“Xu An, this man says he’s here for you. What’s your relationship with him? You’re a married woman now. Don’t go messing around with shady people and ruining our Zhou family’s reputation.”

Xu An didn’t have time to deal with Zhou Dandan. Her gaze collided with the man’s briefly before she instinctively looked away. Hearing him call her over, she squeezed Zhou Yu’s hand so hard it nearly turned red.

She had no choice but to bite her lip and mutter softly, “Brother.”

“Why are you here?”

Xu An’s use of “Brother” left the Zhou family stunned. Zhou Dandan’s face flushed red; she had just accused Xu An of fooling around, only to find out the man was her brother.

Xu Weiping glared at Xu An, his voice filled with disappointment. “So you still remember I’m your brother? My sister got married, and I didn’t even know! Xu An, you’re really something now.”

Xu An pursed her lips lightly. She felt guilty since she had indeed rushed into the marriage without informing her family, but time had been tight. Even if she had explained to her family, it wouldn’t have changed anything—she still would have married Zhou Yu.

Xu Weiping’s anger flared as he looked at his sister, then turned his gaze to the man beside her. Was this the guy his sister had chosen?

He scrutinized Zhou Yu, noticing his grown-out buzz cut and sizing him up from head to toe. This guy didn’t look like someone decent at all. How could his sister suddenly fall for a guy like him, so completely different from that coward Gao Jincheng? Although he had never liked Gao Jincheng’s meek, bookish demeanor, his sister clearly had. How could her taste change so drastically?

Zhou Yu’s dark eyes met those of the tanned man standing in the yard. Sensing the man’s wariness and hostility, Zhou Yu clenched his jaw.

Xu An’s brother looked like a typical village man, but how had he managed to raise such a delicate and refined-looking sister?

The Zhou family, watching the drama unfold from the yard, was fully entertained. Xu An, however, didn’t want to be the subject of their amusement. Taking a deep breath, she addressed Xu Weiping, “Brother, I’ll explain everything to you. You must be hungry after your journey. Zhou Yu and I were just eating. Why don’t you come inside?”

Despite his anger, Xu Weiping knew the situation was set in stone. He sighed, then followed his sister inside.

With a loud bang, Zhou Yu slammed the door behind them, leaving the Zhou family staring at one another in confusion.

Zhou Dandan smirked gleefully. “So Second Sister-in-law and Second Brother got married behind her family’s back? And this is her actual brother, here to take her home? What a show.”

Zhou Shuwen spoke softly, “We all thought Second Sister-in-law came here because her family was struggling, and she needed to find her own way. But now it looks like her family had no idea about the marriage. Who knows if this wedding will still count?”

When they first learned Xu An was just a village girl, everyone was eager for her to be tied to Zhou Yu. Now, seeing how beautiful and capable she was, they were all wondering if the two might end up getting divorced.

Pan Hehua sneered, “Her brother’s just as crude as she is. A typical country bumpkin. It’d be best if he took her back with him.”

After watching the commotion for a while and hearing nothing from the lit room, the Zhou family finally returned to the main house.

Inside the room, Xu An quickly fetched a bowl and handed it to Xu Weiping with both hands.

The moment Xu Weiping stepped inside, he covertly scanned the entire room, his eyes lingering on the two dishes on the stove. He sat down, looking at his sister.

“Tell me what’s going on. How did you get married without saying a word to the family?”

Xu An, sitting beside Zhou Yu, picked up her chopsticks again and smiled. “Brother, you must be hungry after your journey. Let’s eat first, and then I’ll explain everything, okay?”

Under the soft light, Xu Weiping stared at his sister’s smiling face and was momentarily stunned. It was only now, in this light, that he realized how much his sister had changed.

Noticing his gaze lingering on her face, Xu An quickly avoided eye contact, afraid he might notice something amiss.

At least for now, his sister didn’t seem to be suffering. She looked radiant and well-cared for, so her life here didn’t seem unbearable.

Xu Weiping nodded faintly and began eating. He was indeed starving. After receiving Xu An’s letter, he had rushed to get a letter of introduction from the village chief, grabbed some money, and headed straight for the kyoto. He had just arrived this afternoon after asking around to find the Zhou family’s house. Exhausted and famished, he could finally rest.

Seeing how hungry he was, Xu An barely ate a few bites before putting down her chopsticks. Zhou Yu, too, had already stopped eating, and the couple just watched Xu Weiping finish his meal.

Xu An bit her lip gently. Usually, Zhou Yu would finish whatever leftovers they had, and she knew he hadn’t eaten his fill today.

When her gaze met his, Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow and looked at her brother, clearly waiting for her to explain.

Lowering her eyes, Xu An felt a bit anxious as she thought about how to explain everything to Xu Weiping.

After finishing his meal, Xu Weiping set his bowl down, and Xu An quickly poured him a cup of tea.

“Now tell me,” he said, “how did you come to the kyoto and end up married?”

Xu An hesitated, then cautiously asked, “Brother, I only sent the letter home a few days ago. How did you get here so fast?”

Xu Weiping frowned. “We got your letter three days ago, and everyone was worried you’d been tricked.”

He glanced at the man sitting beside his sister, then continued in a low voice, “Mom and Dad are frantic. I got the introduction letter that same day and came straight here. I arrived this afternoon. Your letter had this address, so I found my way over.”

Xu An pressed her lips together, feeling guilty, her voice barely above a whisper. “Didn’t everyone at home always complain that I was too old to get married? Well, I went ahead and got married, so now Mom and Dad can hold their heads up high in the village.”

Hearing his sister mumble this, Xu Weiping nearly exploded with anger. “They said you were too old to marry, but has the family ever blamed you? Even if you never married, I’d still take care of you.”

He took a deep breath, trying not to mention Gao Jincheng, the man she had once been involved with.

“Besides, how could you marry someone after knowing them for only a few days? Xu An, I never realized you had such guts!”

From the moment he learned his sister had married, Xu Weiping hadn’t believed it. Even now, seeing her with this man, he was still in disbelief, feeling so angry his mind was spinning.

Xu An took a deep breath and nervously glanced at Zhou Yu beside her. In a quiet voice, she said, “I have something I need to explain to my brother.”

“Zhou Yu, could you…”

Xu An suddenly felt like a scoundrel, as though she were hiding a secret past. Asking her husband to leave while she discussed her ex made her feel like she was being deceitful. In truth, she had no real connection with Gao Jincheng, so why was she feeling so guilty?

Before she could finish her sentence, Zhou Yu, already wearing a cold expression, stood up. Xu An quickly grabbed his wrist, pulling him back down into his seat.

“You don’t need to go. There’s nothing you can’t hear.”

Xu An softened at the thought of Zhou Yu being mocked by the Zhou family outside. Besides, Zhou Yu would eventually find out everything, so it was better to be upfront now.

Xu Weiping was surprised by his sister’s assertiveness.

After Xu An pulled Zhou Yu back into his seat, she took several deep breaths to steady herself before looking her brother in the eye.

“Brother, the family knows why I came to the kyoto.”

She avoided looking at Zhou Yu or her brother, speaking calmly as she recounted how she had run into Gao Jincheng holding hands with another woman shortly after arriving.

“Brother, I found his school and saw him holding hands with another woman. When I walked up to him, he didn’t even recognize me.”

Hearing this, Xu Weiping frowned deeply, wanting to drag that scumbag Gao Jincheng out and beat him senseless.

“I told you he wasn’t any good, but you still—”

“Brother!” Xu An interrupted, continuing, “I was like an idiot, following them until…”

The memory of the two of them walking hand-in-hand into a hotel made her nauseous. The

 moment the door closed behind them, she felt completely lost.

In that moment of despair, Zhou Yu had shown up.

Her eyes flickered toward the man beside her. In his usual direct manner, Zhou Yu had taken her hand and told her she would forget about Gao Jincheng.

Everything had unfolded so quickly. They were still getting to know each other when they ended up in the Civil Affairs Bureau. Zhou Yu had signed the papers, and the rest was history.

Her voice trembled as she spoke. Zhou Yu, who had been listening intently, suddenly leaned back in his chair, saying in a low voice, “That was the past. Now you’re married to me.”

His words hung in the air, and both Xu Weiping and Xu An were left speechless.

Zhou Yu’s possessive tone made it clear: He wouldn’t let Xu An go, no matter the past.

The conversation was heavy with tension, but Zhou Yu’s dominance was undeniable. Xu Weiping could see that this man wasn’t like the weakling Gao Jincheng. He didn’t seem like someone his sister could easily leave.

Finally, Xu Weiping sighed deeply, rubbing his forehead as he addressed Xu An.

“You’ve really gone and done it this time.”

He glanced at Zhou Yu, gauging the man’s strength of character. His sister had chosen a man who wouldn’t be easily pushed around, and now, Xu Weiping was more concerned about what kind of life she would have with him.

“You’ve already made your choice,” he muttered. “I just hope you don’t regret it.”

The atmosphere in the room remained thick with unresolved tension, but the decision was already made.

“At first, Zhou Yu didn’t even agree. He kept asking her if she would regret it. When she said she wouldn’t regret it, she wasn’t lying, but she never really explained herself to Zhou Yu. It was normal for him to be angry.

‘Brother understands. Now tell me, how did you two get married?’

In his mind, his sister was perfect in every way, but one was from the kyoto and the other from a city far to the south. It was hard to imagine how they could have crossed paths, let alone get married after only knowing each other for a few days.

Xu Weiping only knew that his sister married her husband after not dating for long, but he didn’t know that Xu An had married Zhou Yu without even meeting him first. If he had, he might have gone mad.

Xu An hesitated before speaking. ‘It was through an introduction.’

‘At the time, I was desperate to stay here. Someone introduced us, and I agreed.’

‘And then… we got married.’

At this point, trying not to make herself seem too impulsive, Xu An added, ‘We’re doing well now, and Zhou Yu treats me very well.’

Her face looked pale, but Xu Weiping felt she wasn’t lying when she said she was doing well, which made him feel somewhat reassured.

Xu An tilted her head slightly, her gaze sweeping over the deep, dark eyes of the man beside her before guiltily looking away. She said softly, ‘It’s getting late now. Let’s talk more tomorrow. We don’t have any spare rooms at home. Zhou Yu, could you take my brother to a hotel to rest for the night?’

Xu An’s voice trailed off as she spoke, not knowing how Zhou Yu would feel after hearing all this. Luckily, the man beside her said nothing, simply standing up and responding with a quiet hum.

Xu Weiping frowned, his gaze drifting outside to the yard.

Xu An quickly explained, ‘Brother, we’ve already split from the family. This house belongs to me and Zhou Yu. We don’t have any extra space.’

No one is a fool. Xu Weiping immediately realized that his brother-in-law didn’t get along well with their family. Otherwise, even after splitting the household, finding a room for a guest wouldn’t have been an issue.

He also stood up at this point. ‘Fine, let’s go.’

He watched as his sister and her husband walked out of the house.

Xu Weiping’s gaze shifted to Zhou Yu’s leg, which was limping, and he was stunned.

His mind was reeling.

His sister… had married a disabled man.

Any sympathy he had started to feel for his brother-in-law evaporated when he saw that limp.

Xu An turned around and saw Xu Weiping staring at Zhou Yu’s leg. Instinctively, she frowned and stepped in front of Zhou Yu, calling out, ‘Brother!’

Xu Weiping stared at his sister’s protective stance, gritted his teeth, and said nothing. He took a few steps forward to follow the couple out of the door. As the three walked into the courtyard, they noticed curious eyes peeking from the main house of the Zhou family.

Ignoring the Zhou family’s prying, Xu An switched on a flashlight and followed Zhou Yu out of the alley.

After navigating through several twists and turns, Zhou Yu brought them to a nearby hotel, booked a room for Xu Weiping, and led him to his room.

Xu Weiping, now standing at the door, showed no warmth toward Zhou Yu. After observing his limp throughout the walk, Xu Weiping was fairly certain that Zhou Yu’s leg had been injured for a long time, with little hope for recovery.

This meant that his sister might spend her life with a crippled man. He couldn’t accept it, nor could he be pleasant toward Zhou Yu.

At the door, Xu An put on a bright smile and said, ‘Brother, rest well tonight. We’ll talk more tomorrow, okay?’

Xu Weiping, exhausted from the journey, having spent days on the road and traveled in uncomfortable conditions, wasn’t in the mood to confront anyone. He sighed, rubbing his sister’s head. ‘We’ll talk tomorrow.’

Xu An nodded obediently, knowing she couldn’t avoid the conversation. Only then did Xu Weiping glance at Zhou Yu, his voice cold. ‘We need to talk.’

Zhou Yu didn’t seem to care about the cold tone, casually smirking and responding, ‘Sure.’

After dropping Xu Weiping off, Xu An and Zhou Yu left the hotel.

As they stepped outside, the biting wind of the night stung their faces.

Xu An huddled into herself, sneaking glances at Zhou Yu, trying to gauge his reaction, but his expression remained unreadable.

They walked side by side, with only the sound of the wind howling in the quiet night. The silence heightened every emotion, amplifying Xu An’s nervousness.

She couldn’t help but speak in a soft voice. ‘…I just really wanted to stay in the kyoto back then.’

‘And… there’s really nothing between him and me. There never was, and there never will be. I told you before, I don’t regret marrying you. I want us to have a good life together.’

The man beside her let out a mocking chuckle but said nothing, though Xu An could tell he didn’t believe her.

She sighed, feeling uncertain herself. The original Xu An had died because of that scumbag, even though it wasn’t her, it was hard to completely clear her name.

Xu An sighed more that night than she ever had before.

‘I really don’t like him.’

‘When we ran into him last time, you saw how I treated him.’

It felt like she was explaining to her current husband that her so-called “ex” was just an insignificant speck, like mosquito blood that didn’t matter at all.

Except in her case, it wasn’t even mosquito blood — she didn’t even have an ex. Yet, explaining was still so difficult.

‘What does that have to do with me?’

That was the first thing Zhou Yu had said in a while, and it was as harsh as ever.

Xu An sighed softly, her tone gentle. ‘It only matters to you. I want you to know that there’s nothing between Gao Jincheng and me.’

‘You’re my… husband now. I need to explain things to you.’

‘Ha.’ The man snorted again, his voice cold and sharp in the night air.

‘Xu An.’

‘You were explaining it to your brother, not to me.’

‘From the start, I’ve just been a bystander.’

‘Xu An, you even wanted to kick me out earlier!’

Xu An bit her lip, turning to look at the man beside her. His face was hard and expressionless.

Lowering her eyes, she noticed his hands by his side. Her fingers, cold from the night air, slowly moved toward his hand, gently brushing against his rough, calloused skin.

The moment she touched him, Zhou Yu jerked away, like someone being harassed.

He finally looked down at her, his voice hoarse. ‘Xu An, what are you doing?’

Xu An: …

She raised her eyes to look at him, his face showing nothing but impatience. In a soft voice, she explained, ‘I just want to tell you that I want us to have a good life together.’

Zhou Yu turned away, his breath catching as he tried to calm the heat rising in his chest. His hand twitched, still feeling the warmth of her touch.

‘That’s unnecessary.’

He folded his arms, picking up the pace, leaving Xu An nearly behind.

Xu An hurried after him, grabbing the edge of his coat as she quietly said, ‘There’s nothing between Gao Jincheng and me.’

‘If it bothers you that much, I can’t change the past, but I want to stay here.’

‘Zhou Yu, I’m not going to divorce you.’

Zhou Yu let out a sarcastic laugh, unconcerned. ‘What, do you think I’m stupid?’

‘You did everything you could to stay here for a man, and now you tell me it means nothing.’

‘Xu An, I’m not a fool.’

Xu An knew her explanation didn’t make sense, but she had no choice. ‘It’s not like that. I only wanted to stay here out of impulse. It had nothing to do with Gao Jincheng.’

‘I… I wanted to stay in the kyoto for myself.’

She looked at the man’s back, raising her voice. ‘Zhou Yu, even if I had stayed in a small place like the South City, people would still gossip about me and my family for being 23 and uneducated.’

‘I was always going to get married.’

‘You’re a good person. I don’t regret marrying you. I did it for myself.’

‘I really want to have a good life with you — not because of anyone else.’

Xu An’s grip tightened on his coat. Hearing his footsteps slow down, she felt a little relief.

When they finally returned home, Xu An let go of his coat, sat down, and sighed in exhaustion.

After getting ready for bed, she glanced at Zhou Yu, whose expression was still unreadable. He silently climbed into bed beside her.

Lying in the dark, Xu An stared at the ceiling, her hand slowly reaching out in the darkness, brushing against Zhou Yu’s strong arm before resting her chin on his shoulder.

‘Xu An!’ His voice was unexpectedly stern, with a hint of something Xu An couldn’t quite place.

‘Don’t do anything foolish.’

Hearing the seriousness in his tone, Xu An’s heart pounded. She spoke softly. ‘You don’t believe me.’

She clung to his arm, her voice gentle. ‘I want you to believe me.’

Zhou

 Yu remained silent, unmoving, though his body tensed at her touch.

Xu An didn’t push further. Lying next to him in silence, she closed her eyes, determined to be patient.

A few moments later, Zhou Yu turned, facing away from her.

She lay awake in the dark, feeling the distance between them, both physically and emotionally, unsure of how to close it.”

Xu An propped herself up in bed. The space beside her was empty; Zhou Yu had already gotten up.

Covering her mouth, she yawned softly, then swung her legs out of bed, slipping into her slippers and walking out of the room.

Outside, water was already boiling on the stove. Xu An poured some into a basin to wash her face. As she stepped out to brush her teeth, she saw Zhou Yu leading Xu Weiping back into the courtyard.

Xu Weiping didn’t look happy. He followed Zhou Yu inside, not even glancing at him, but when he saw his sister squatting by the door brushing her teeth, his expression softened slightly.

Xu An quickly rinsed her mouth and greeted him.

“Brother, why didn’t you rest more?”

It was still quite early.

Xu Weiping walked over to her, speaking without caring whether Zhou Yu could hear. He stared at his sister and asked in a tone that left no room for argument, “Did you register your marriage with him?”

Not understanding why he asked, Xu An just nodded lightly. “Yes.”

“Brother, it’s cold outside. Let’s go inside.”

She turned and went back into the house, placing her toothbrush cup on a shelf. She grabbed a chair and handed it to Xu Weiping before sitting down across from him.

Zhou Yu didn’t come inside. He lazily leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, with a careless look on his face.

He wasn’t even wearing the new clothes Xu An had bought for him. Instead, he had thrown on some old clothes, looking completely disheveled and unreliable.

One glance at him and Xu Weiping couldn’t stand it. He turned to his sister, his voice low and firm.

“Come with me now. You two need to divorce.”

“Then pack your things and come home with me. Let’s pretend you never came to the kyoto.”

He had been trying to convince himself to accept his sister’s sudden marriage, but after seeing Zhou Yu last night, he had stayed awake all night, unable to accept that his sister had married such a man with no future.

If this was the case, it was better for her never to marry at all. He could support his sister for the rest of her life.

Xu An stared at her brother in disbelief.

He wanted her to divorce Zhou Yu?

Xu An glanced at Zhou Yu, still leaning lazily against the doorframe, completely unbothered by the explosive words coming from her brother.

“I’m not getting divorced.”

Xu An didn’t know how Zhou Yu felt about this, but she was absolutely not going to divorce.

“Brother, I’m doing well now, and I won’t get divorced.”

Xu Weiping could tell his sister was serious, and he struggled to accept it.

“An’an, why won’t you get divorced?”

He glanced at Zhou Yu, the careless man by the door, clearly unfit to be her husband.

Besides, how long had his sister even known this man? And the man was disabled. How much love could there possibly be?

“An’an, if you’re upset that Gao Jincheng betrayed you and found someone from the city, I’ll work hard to find you a good husband, someone much better than Gao Jincheng, okay?”

Xu An’s gaze shifted back to Zhou Yu. Hearing her brother speak like this, she felt like it was impossible to explain.

“Brother, I don’t…”

“Zhou Yu is better than Gao Jincheng. Don’t compare him to that scumbag.”

“Fine, I won’t compare him to Gao Jincheng, but…” Xu Weiping sighed heavily. “Being with him, you’ll never be happy.”

He watched his sister, who seemed completely stubborn about spending her life with a man she had only just met. It left him feeling helpless.

He couldn’t understand what was so good about a man who seemed like such a drifter.

Xu An tilted her head to look at him and said softly, “Brother, how about I take you to see the stall where I work now?”

“I’m capable of supporting myself here in the kyoto. Zhou Yu has always been helping me.”

Hearing that his sister had her own stall, Xu Weiping paused, nodding reluctantly.

Xu An quickly stood up, dragging her brother out of the house, pushing Zhou Yu aside as they left, and locking the door behind them. She grabbed both men by the arms, leading them away.

Xu An, now familiar with the streets, eagerly guided them to her stall, her face lit up with excitement as she pointed it out to her brother.

“Brother, that’s my stall.”

She pulled him over, and as they stood there, several familiar customers greeted Xu An, asking when she would open for business. Xu An smiled warmly, answering each one with enthusiasm.

Xu Weiping stared at his sister’s radiant smile, momentarily stunned.

Her face showed a confidence and ease that he hadn’t seen before—not even when she was back home, or with Gao Jincheng.

He had to reconsider. His sister had changed—her skin was clearer, her face brighter, and now she even had her own business. Despite Zhou Yu’s disability, there didn’t seem to be a compelling reason for him to continue opposing their relationship.

Seeing the slight shift in his brother’s expression, Xu An breathed a sigh of relief.

After showing him the stall, she smiled and led him back home. As they passed through the alley, curious neighbors whispered and stared at Xu Weiping, their eyes full of judgment.

Xu Weiping felt the weight of their gazes, frowning as he noticed how unfriendly his sister’s neighbors seemed.

It wasn’t until he overheard their gossip that the full reality hit him.

“That’s Zhou Yu ’s wife’s brother?”

“Just look at him, some country bumpkin who sold his sister to a man who’s been to jail. What kind of decent family would do that?”

“He didn’t marry her off—he sold her. Look how quickly he showed up to get his share. No better than a thief.”

As the harsh words echoed in his ears, Xu Weiping went cold. His gaze landed on Xu An and Zhou Yu, feeling as if his mind was going to explode from the shock.

Xu An quickly pulled him along, determined to get away from the nosy neighbors who couldn’t stand to see others doing well.

Xu Weiping allowed his sister to drag him back to the Zhou family’s courtyard, his face set in a hard, expressionless mask.

Once they were inside, he shook off his sister’s hand and glared coldly at Zhou Yu, who had followed them in.

“Explain this—did you really go to jail?”

Xu An rushed to stand beside Zhou Yu, ready to explain, but before she could, Zhou Yu spoke lazily, arms still crossed.

“There’s nothing to explain. It’s exactly what you heard—I’ve been to jail.”

“Three years. Just got out this year, and then I married her.”

He was clearly trying to provoke Xu Weiping, and Xu An’s heart raced with anxiety.

Xu Weiping took a deep breath, staring at his sister. “Xu An.”

“He’s been to jail, hasn’t he?”

Xu An frowned. “Brother, Zhou Yu did go to jail, but it’s not what you think…”

“Enough, so he did go to jail.”

Xu Weiping spoke in a commanding tone.

“Xu An! You’re going to divorce him now, and come back to Nancheng with me.”

“I won’t let my sister marry a man who’s been to jail and has a bad leg.”

“If you won’t come willingly, do I have to drag you?”

Xu An was fuming at Zhou Yu’s reckless behavior. She pinched his arm hard, twisting it as she glared at him.

“Brother, I won’t divorce him. You can drag me, but without mutual consent, there’s no way we can get divorced.”

Zhou Yu, who had been speaking so carelessly, stopped when he saw the redness in Xu An’s eyes. His casual facade faltered, and he fell silent.

Closing his eyes in frustration, he let out a bitter sigh, his voice rough.

“I haven’t even held it against you for using me to stay here and rekindle things with that scumbag ex of yours, so why are you crying?”

Xu An wasn’t crying—her eyes were just a bit warm. This man had promised her last night that he wouldn’t say anything to stir up trouble, yet here he was, seemingly doing everything in his power to push her away, as if he wanted her brother to take her away immediately.

But she wasn’t going to give in.

“Zhou Yu.”

“I’m telling you one more time: I’m not getting divorced, and I don’t like Gao Jincheng. Remember that, and stop forgetting it.”

Her voice, soft yet determined, cut through the cold air, reaching Zhou Yu’s ears. Staring into her tear-bright yet resolute eyes, Zhou Yu swallowed hard, unable to say anything sharp in response.

With a frustrated grunt, he muttered hoarsely.

“Fine. I get it.”

“No divorce. Never.”

What a fool, he thought. He had given her the chance to escape, and now that she hadn’t taken it, she’d never have the opportunity again. Whether she liked it or not, she was stuck with him, a cripple, for life.